The following Birds and Small Animals illustrate a selection of wildlife which may sometimes be seen in Parklands
Wings in Parklands : Photo taken by John Taylor
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Canada Goose A large goose with a black neck and a white chinstrap, originally introduced from North America............ sometimes considered a pest because of their droppings and aggressive behaviour |
 Canada Geese
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Coot
Coots are medium sized water birds and are members of the Rallidae family. They are all black and have a distinctive white beak with a shield above….hence the saying “bald as a Coot” |
Coot
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Dormouse 1
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Dormouse
A small mammal, the Dormouse is also known as the Hazel Dormouse. Agile climbers and mainly nocturnal dormice are very rarely seen. They spend most of their waking hours among the branches of trees looking for food. They hibernate throughout the winter and sometimes longer. |
Dormouse 2
Egyptian Goose
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Egyptian Goose
Related to the shelduck, this pale brown and grey goose has distinctive dark brown eye-patches. Once confined in the UK to the Norfolk Broads this goose is now abundant across Greater London. A pair were resident at Parklands at the beginning of 2015. |
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Grey Heron A large wading bird, up to 100cm tall, often seen in the trees overhanging the lake or flying slowly over the water. It eats lots of fish, but also small birds and small mammals such as voles and frogs |
Grey Heron
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Grey Squirrel
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Grey Squirrel
Grey squirrels, originally from North America, were released in the UK by 19th century landowners. They are now very common and widespread and have replaced the native red squirrel over most of the UK. |
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Greylag Goose Greylag is the largest and bulkiest of the wild geese native to the UK. It is a large grey-brown goose with a big orange bill and pink legs. |
Greylag Goose
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Kingfisher
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Kingfisher Kingfishers are small bright blue and orange birds. They are difficult to spot, despite their bright colours, but you may see a flash of blue as one flies rapidly low over the water. |
Grey Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
The Grey Wagtail has the longest tail of the wagtails and like the others its tail is wagged continually. The long tail improves its agility while flying in pursuit of insects.In the winter, the male's yellow breast becomes paler and the black throat less distinct. This winter plumage is very similar to the female's appearance all year round.Juveniles are similar to the female but the lower bill and throat are pink-buff coloured and they lack the black throat.
The Grey Wagtail has the longest tail of the wagtails and like the others its tail is wagged continually. The long tail improves its agility while flying in pursuit of insects.In the winter, the male's yellow breast becomes paler and the black throat less distinct. This winter plumage is very similar to the female's appearance all year round.Juveniles are similar to the female but the lower bill and throat are pink-buff coloured and they lack the black throat.
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Mallard The most common duck in the UK. The male and female are very different but both have bright orange legs and shiny patch of purple-blue on each wing. The typical loud quack comes from the female. |
Female Mallard
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Male Mallard
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Moorhen
Moorhens -sometimes called marsh hens- are close relatives of Coots, but slightly smaller. They have a red forehead and red bill with a yellow tip. They are sometimes referred to as "skitty coots" because of their apparent nervous behaviour. |
Moorhen 1
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Moorhen 2
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Ring-necked Parakeet The UK's only naturalised parrot. Green with a long-tail, a red beak and a pink and black ring around its neck. Makes a loud squawking noise. ww2.rspb.org.uk/our-work/our-positions-and-casework/our-positions/species/invasive-non-native-species/ring-necked-parakeets |
Parakeet
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Pipistrelle Bat
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Bats The common Pipistrelle is the most likely bat to be seen at night at Parklands. A single Pipistrelle weighs round 5 grams but can eat 3,000 tiny insects in just one night. |
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Stoat The stoat is a small predator with a long slender body, short legs, and a medium to short tail always with a black tip. It hunts voles, mice, rabbits, birds, etc. |
Stoat
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Water vole
The water vole is the most endangered mammal species in the UK, mainly due to habitat loss and predation by the American mink. It is the largest British vole and often mistaken for a brown rat, especially when swimming.It eats grasses and waterside vegetation.
The water vole is the most endangered mammal species in the UK, mainly due to habitat loss and predation by the American mink. It is the largest British vole and often mistaken for a brown rat, especially when swimming.It eats grasses and waterside vegetation.
Water Vole